Instant Volume Powder Reviews

Schwarzkopf Extra Care Instant Volume Powder lifts hair to give it instant volume that will last for up to 24 hours. Once applied to the roots of the hair, the powder works to boost hair height for added volume.

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Member since 19/03/2011

184
Reviews

Tinaaa

28 Feb 2012 1:05 PM

Star Rating:

5

Glosscars 2012

Not many products live up to what they say they do, but this is an exception!

The powder comes packaged in a small plastic green and silver container. When the lid is taken off, there is a cross of holes where the product comes out.

It is very easy to use! After styling hair (i find it works excellent on natural hair too), shake the bottle onto the palm of your hand to get about a 50c amount of product out.. Just rub the palms together and apply it first to the roots and then throughout the hair. Afterwards i apply a tiny bit of hairspray for extra hold!

I love this product because it doesn't weigh the hair down at all, the powder isn't visible and the hair generally doesnt look or feel greasy. It gives hair a real boost of volume and texture, it makes my flat, thin hair 'big'! It is a must have!

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Member since 27/06/2017

24
Reviews

EmmaW

29 Jun 2017 8:27 PM

Star Rating:

3

Great but have to use it properly

I like the concept of this product, I have flat, limp hair and am always looking for a products to give my hair added volume.

The first couple of times I used it I found it made my hair gritty and hard to style. After I worked out how much to use for my hair it most definitely gave me volume.

I do find I have to wash my hair the next day after using this product as it's a nightmare to style your hair once this stuff is in it.

Any Tips?:

Work out how much you need for your hair, little goes a long way

Ideal For...:

Anyone wanting extra volume

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Member since 23/06/2008

231
Reviews

maggieball

25 Apr 2017 11:21 AM

Star Rating:

3

Works well, but need to use properly and carefully

This product, which, like all volumisers, contains silica silylate, can be very effective on fine or thin hair, especially around the fringe, but you have to use it correctly or it makes things worse. I find that a tiny bit is all I need - at the roots and fluff. Then *don’t touch* that area at all or it the thickening effect will be gone and the hair will become limp and greasy. It’s also best not to touch because the hair feels very odd and crunchy and not at all pleasant to the touch, so again a very small amount left for viewing only is best. The product is easy enough to use - you shake it out of the little container and has no scent which I appreciate, but use too much or indiscriminately and hair becomes like fairy floss and wholly unmanageable. I also find it has to be used at the roots only and not the ends. The container is small and portable but lasts a long time since you really only need a tiny amount.

Any Tips?:

I’ve heard that long term use can cause dryness so for those like me with dry hair, maybe use for special occasions only when you really want a bit of extra volume, and stick with top of hair rather than ends. The product does seem to absorb moisture and I find it works better on hair the day after shampooing rather than same day.

Ideal For...:

Anyone with fine hair looking for a bit of oomph will find this product useful.

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Member since 26/06/2012

32
Reviews

Bronterose

28 Mar 2017 1:43 PM

Star Rating:

1

Not a fan

No matter how often I attempt to use this product it makes my hair feel gritty, stiff and dirty. I apply a small quantity to the roots as directed and then when I attempt to rub it in it just seems to sit there and I am almost at the point of feeling I should wash my hair again. As I am a brunette with thick but fine hair it is so noticeable after using this powder that my hair has lost its shine, looks matted and doesn't feel clean.

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Member since 11/10/2016

43
Reviews

IKnowBeauty

10 Mar 2017 1:10 AM

Star Rating:

3

Gives volume.

I bought this to give the back of my hair some volume and it does! The down sides are that it can be a a bit messy and sticky. The products come in a shaker and you tip it on to your hair trying not to put too much and the rub the product into your hair. This product is used on dry hair. I don't know if it lasts twenty-four hours as I already have thick hair but it stays voluminous for awhile. The white powder vanishes as you rub it into your hair and your roots "stand up". I like this for vintage hairstyles that require some volume. But I think I'm just going to buy my mum one as she has thin hair.

I do like the green and silver packaging though. However the shaker lid had popped off and almost split. So I'd be careful when throwing it into a travel bag. This doesn't make your hair greasy and is more like dry shampoo.

Any Tips?:

Use on dry hair.

Ideal For...:

Fine/thin hair.

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Member since 12/12/2007

413
Reviews

misfortune8

17 Feb 2017 5:48 AM

Star Rating:

4

The Plait Fattener!

This container looks absolutely tiny, yet the box claims it's enough for up to 50 applications. The RRP of this volume powder is $1 cheaper than Batiste's XXL Plumping Powder, yet Schwarzkopf contains twice as much product!

There are instructions with diagrams on the box. They say to apply a small amount of powder to your palms, rub together, then work through your roots. For extra volume, sprinkle directly onto roots. If I'm wearing my hair out, I usually use mousse. I prefer to use this volume powder when I wear a plait It's especially effective if I only plait a small section of hair, eg if I want to wrap a plait around a bun, or if I wear a half up/half down plait.

It certainly boosts volume, but it can settle down with time (my hair is waist length, so it can be heavy). I like to give a spritz of hairspray on top, for hold.

The downsides are that it can make the hair look powdery & matte, so it's not ideal for brunettes. The other downside is it makes the hair feel coarser, so take that into consideration.

It brushes out, but not completely. My hair tangles up more after using this powder, so I make sure I sleep with it plaited.

If fattening your plait, make sure you don't plait your hair too tightly before applying the powder. You need some space for your pumped up hair to occupy.

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Member since 25/03/2008

218
Reviews

mrsB_

9 Nov 2016 9:05 AM

Star Rating:

3

Not the best

I have very flat and fine hair so I'm huge on trying anything volumising. I've heard great things about this and decided to add it to my collection.

It comes in a little shaker that you apply to your roots, rub it in and you should have a good amount of volume.

I found the shaker easy enough to use as it's quite small and dispensed easily.

The product itself did give my hair a very impressive boost but my hair's texture changed to slightly sticky and tangled like crazy, making it impossible to run my hands through it. There was a slight white residue on my dark hair which was hard to get rid of due to the tangling.

It's impossible to have this on your hair for more than one day, once you sleep with it in your hair it tangles even more.

Any Tips?:

I'd use this for a special event where you have an updo and don't need to mess with it.

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Member since 23/09/2015

15
Reviews

gabwilliams

29 Jul 2016 4:52 PM

Star Rating:

3

Great volume, leaves white residue on scalp

I started using this product more recently when starting to grow my front fringe out. It works really well at giving hair a lifted look at the roots and mattes hair together to help hold the hair in place. It was perfect for holding my fringe pulled back without it looking flat. Hairspray would have given my hair similar hold but without the hold and would have left my hair a little crispy. This product doesn't do that. This fine, white powder comes in a plastic container similar to a salt shaker with a screw on lid. The powder is fine enough that it blends through the hair without leaving a white cast on the hair itself but I find it leaves a white cast on my scalp that it hard to blend out without using a wipe or something as it makes my scalp a little dry and causing a little flaking if I rub it in too vigorously. I have dark hair so this white cast on my scalp is quite noticeable. I have used this product at the roots of my hair at the crown and close to my part in the past for added volume for my fine, limp hair and didn't notice the white cast. Probably because it was used towards the back of my head. Something to keep an eye on.

I have tried a more expensive product, similar in texture and result, so this product would be my go to for volume powders. Works just as well as the more expensive brands for less than half the price and easy to pick up at coles or the pharmacy.

Any Tips?:

Dark haired girls may need to use a baby wipe or makeup wipe to dab on scalp in the part area if you get a white cast.

jessjess1324

29 Mar 2016 12:28 PM

Star Rating:

5

Gives great volume and texture

I love using the Schwarzkopf volume powder in my hair, it makes up dos so much more easy to do and stay all day.
I have quite slippery hair, so the powder is great for adding texture and stopping my hair from looking flat all day. The texture that the powder adds to my hair allows the hair styles that I do to last a lot longer. I even find that my bobby pins and hair bands stay in my hair better when I use the powder.

It is very easy to use, I just sprinkle a little in my roots, mainly at the front of my hair, near the hairline and massage it in with my fingers. If I would link extra volume I flip my hair upside down and rub it in more. It adds instant volume to my hair. I love to use it when I have straightened my hair and its looking a bit flat or when I am doing my hair in a ponytail and don't want it to look compleatly plain and boring.

When I began using it I was concerned about the lightness of the powder against my dark hair. This hasn't been an issue at all, the powder shakes out very from my hair and you could never tell that I have used it.

I will be repurchasing this when mine runs out as I am always reaching for it when I don't know what to do with my hair. It has been a life saver when I'm having a bad hair day but don't want to look compleatly boring.

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Member since 09/02/2016

418
Reviews

skincare junkie

7 Mar 2016 2:29 PM

Star Rating:

4

Practice makes perfect; works better on blonde and fine hair

I am lucky enough to be able to try this volume powder of many different types of hair (I do up-style for a living). I admit that I have not tried many different brands of volume powder (I am not aware of another brand making something similar apart from Osis+ ... now that I think about it, Osis+ is actually from Schwarzkopf as well but twice the price), but why change if I find something works for me!

The first thing to note is that this powder is white. It takes a bit of practice to control the right amount to use on darker hair. One mistake that my students tend to make is to put too much powder, and directly on the scalp. That's a big no no. Once the product sticks to the scalp it is very difficult to get rid of. Before using the product, section the hair and apply close to the root of the hair, and then I massage the product into the hair using my finger tip. Do it section by section. This product can be used alone, used alongside with teasing (it makes teasing much easier as the product sticks individual hair strands together), or use before blowdrying. I found that heating up the hair after applying the product further expands the volume.

Although this product works on thick and straight hair to some extent, it works best on fine hair, and it is also much easier to use on light-coloured hair where the powder is less visible, compared to darker hair.

Any Tips?:

Do not apply to the scalp, but apply to the root close to the scalp. Heat up hair after use for even more volume

Ideal For...:

Blonde hair and fine hair

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Member since 27/11/2011

100
Reviews

MissLola

18 Jan 2016 9:12 PM

Star Rating:

1

Not for me

I really did not like this product.

It comes in a small tub and when you shake it a small amount of product comes out which is good.

I have tried this on both clean and second day hair. On clean hair there was not any noticeable volume, just a sticky sort of feeling. I used this on second day hair and it was nothing short of a disaster.

I used the product on my hair and tried to rub it in, but it left my hair feeling super tangly and so so STICKY. I couldnt run my fingers through the top of my hair without getting stuck. I then had to shampoo THREE times to get the product out of my hair. I may have used too much product but even with so, I simply do not like the stickiness that this product leaves.

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Member since 16/10/2008

245
Reviews

Skitzkitty

6 Nov 2015 10:27 PM

Star Rating:

3

Girl tax in action

This product is a classic example of what I call girl tax - women's products that are IDENTICAL to men's, but cost more. This has Heidi's face on the product, which I suppose is the celebrity endorsement that induces some people to buy it. It works quite well on my super-fine hair, but you do need to be careful not to shake out too much, otherwise your hair just ends up sticky and matted. When you get the hang of it, it's quite a useful product to have in your arsenal of styling products for very fine hair. It also gives that "unwashed" grippy feeling to hair that you need for up-do's etc to hold properly.

At around half the price, I would recommend buying the men's Taft styling powder instead - identical product, no celebrity endorsement and just as effective. It's just as easy to find - every supermarket and Priceline tend to stock both. Don't be worried about buying a "men's" product - show how smart you are by not falling for the girl tax!

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Member since 27/05/2010

330
Reviews

Retro-glam

5 Nov 2015 7:36 AM

Star Rating:

4

easy lift

my hair is quite thin and flat and my roots get oily easily, weighing down my hair even more.
this product looked so easy to use i couldnt resist.
i recommend shaking into the palm of your hair first, then pinching and sprinkling onto ROOTS only. rub in with finger tips.
great volume, lasts all day.
never sticky, even in hot weather. blends perfectly into hair color ( my hair is black)

Beebeautiful333

Good but use with caution

I would say this adds more texture rather than volume. But a little goes a very very long way! Definitely don't apply this straight to your head, I did the first time and used way too much!

I dab a little bit of this on my roots with my finger and it gives me a really nice volume/texture in my hair. It does make your hair feel a little dirty and gritty so I would recommend washing you hair after you use this (rather than leave it a day or so).

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Member since 17/04/2012

374
Reviews

Anita1502

24 Oct 2014 10:42 PM

Star Rating:

4

Not a bad thing

I have always had fine hair that needed some added volume to look good. I never devoted too much time to my hair styling. I just needed to go out out the house quickly and not worry about the hair too much. One day browsing ( I know you will kill me ) in a polish equivalent of Priceline I noticed this powder. Seemed pretty easy to use and promised volume.
I bough it of course and tried it out at home. The packaging is simple, we get a tube of product with a lid on and a sieve as a dispenser. We shake out a desirable amount of product onto our hands ( or straight onto the roots of hair) and we rub it in into the roots. It lifts the hair immediately creating volume. It does what it says, there is volume. It gives the hair some texture too.
It might feels sticky a little bit but I think it is just the impression. It doesn't seem to make my hair more greasy. Actually, I like to use it when my hair is not so fresh anymore as it can work like dry shampoo too. It is a lovely product but in my opinion makes my hair a bit too matte. And I don't think the volume lasts up to 24 hours. However, when we see the hair seems a bit "meh" often it is enough to give the roots a bit of a rub and the volume is back.

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Member since 12/10/2012

137
Reviews

Amber382

12 Oct 2014 10:27 AM

Star Rating:

5

Love!

This product is great for giving hair an amazing boost of volume and oompf at the roots :) works like dry shampoo to absorb oil, but with a much better volume result!
So Simple to use, just shake a bit into your roots, massage it in and your good to go! Great price too :)

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Member since 19/10/2013

423
Reviews

Neel8888

13 Sep 2014 2:28 AM

Star Rating:

4

works well but not perfectly

I recently bought this product because my hair is straight and very thick and weighs itself down so that it looks flat. I tried almost everything to give it a bit of volume and this is the closest I have come to getting that.

It works instantly to give me that volume but it does feel sticky and doesn't hold the volume for more than an hour so I have to keep fluffing my hair up throughout the day and it ends up looking dirty. But that might just be because my hair is so heavy. Might work better on ladies with thinner hair.

Overall I like this product despite the stickiness and might repurchase if I don't find anything better.

Any Tips?:

Works better when sprinkled directly onto roots rather than on fingertips first

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Member since 07/09/2012

71
Reviews

silverscreenbeautyqueens

6 Aug 2014 7:27 AM

Star Rating:

5

Brilliant!

I don't have a lot of experience with hair products, but the Schwarzkopf team at the BH Degustation Event showed me how to use this, and I'm so grateful they did! Having a professional show me how to get the most out of this product has really helped me appreciate it more, and I've been very impressed with the results! I love using this on my fringe in particular to add volume, and it does a fantastic job, without leaving behind any powder residue.

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Member since 25/03/2010

135
Reviews

Sahtorial

14 Jul 2014 2:18 AM

Star Rating:

5

Instant Long-Lasting Volume

I've tried similar volume powders from other brands, but it wasn't until Beauty Heaven's Beauty Degustation Event that I learned how to use this innovative gem. Some people sing high praises about this volume in a bottle whilst others just seem to despise the product. I believe that is due to how susceptible Schwarzkopf's Instant Volume Powder is to user error. The volume-boosting product is a slightly gummy translucent powder that gives the hair texture whilst being completely matte and undetectable to the eye. It allows my smooth straight hair to have the grit of second day hair minus the oil build-up at the roots. I prefer to flip my hair in sections to the other side of my head and tip a small amount of powder about an inch away from the root. Gently ruffle the hair to disperse the powder evenly. Instantly the product provides grit to the hair that ensures long lasting volume. However the packaging is my main gripe. The sifter isn't fine enough to gently distribute the powder, and because the powder is so lightweight I find it difficult to gauge whether I'm tipping out too much or too little. Cons aside, I really enjoy the volume and bounce my hair has after I've used this styling powder. What is even better is that the product takes about three washes to completely get out of your hair, meaning for someone who washes their hair everyday I can get still get a generous amount of volume for the next two days. Schwarzkopf have really changed my hair styling game with this product and I would definitely consider repurchasing this in the future.

Any Tips?:

Apply small amounts gradually, an inch or two away from the roots.

Ideal For...:

Ideal for those with flat lifeless hair that gets easily weighed down by hair product build-up.

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Member since 10/08/2013

77
Reviews

Pink Hornet

12 Jul 2014 6:25 AM

Star Rating:

5

Bad Hair Day Saviour

I had this product suggested to me by the wonderful Schwarzkopf Team at the recent Beauty Heaven Degustation event.
It is my favourite product of the generous goody bag we received but I was pleased to discover it was very reasonably priced.
The package is fairly standard for both Scwarzkopf and this style of product. A grey and green tube containing talcum powder type substance.
It was love at first use for me with this product. It is like dry shampoo but better. I find it more concentrated and easier to apply and direct.
I use it most days to create more 'oomph' at the roots of my long fine hair. I just put a 20 sent piece in my hand, rub it through my fingertips and then run them through my hair at the roots on the crown of my head.
If my hair is having a total 'sad' I tap a liitle into the roots at the crown and brush through. This might be enough or if I still put it up into a pony tail or braid, it seems to add 'guts' to my updo and I get a better result.
I will not be without this again. Thankyou Schwarzkopf and Beauty Heaven.

Any Tips?:

Play with the product and try different ways of using it. I am still discovering interesting results such as brushing through clean hair to give it the pliabillity needed for hot rollers or updos.

Ideal For...:

Take it in your carry on luggage when travelling as an ideal alternative to dry shampoo.
I recommend it for any bad hair day.